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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bound — certain
  8. foot — a measure
  9. firm — steady
  10. bass — low music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bound — obliged
  14. firm — decided
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mate — a partner
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mate — a friend
  22. firm — a company
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com